In electronic devices with integrated circuits (ICs), the ICs are typically mounted onto circuit boards. In order to electrically couple connections between the circuit board and the IC, the IC is typically “packaged.” The IC packaging usually provides a small encasement for physically protecting the IC and provides contact pads for coupling to the circuit board. In some applications, the packaged IC may be coupled to the circuit board via solder bumps.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, a typical image sensing device 100 is now described. The image sensing device 100 includes an interconnect layer 105, a plurality of ball grid array (BGA) contacts 106a-106h carried by the interconnect layer, an image sensor IC 103 over the interconnect layer, and an adhesive layer 107 between the interconnect layer and the image sensor IC. The image sensing device 100 includes bond wires 104a-104b coupled between the image sensor IC 103 and the interconnect layer 105, a transparent plate 102 aligned with the image sensor IC image sensing surface, and encapsulation material 101 completely surrounding the image sensor IC and the transparent plate.
Referring now to FIG. 2, another typical image sensing device 200 is now described. The image sensing device 200 includes an interconnect layer 205, a plurality of BGA contacts 206a-206h carried thereby, and an image sensor IC 203 over the interconnect layer. The image sensing device 200 includes bond wires 204a-204b coupled between the image sensor IC 203 and the interconnect layer 205, a transparent plate 202 aligned with the image sensor IC image sensing surface, an annular adhesive layer 208 between the image sensor IC and the transparent plate, and encapsulation material in two stacked layers 201a, 201b surrounding the image sensor IC and the transparent plate.